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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1807 By: Newton of the House
and
Jech of the Senate
[ water and water rights - metering of wells - permit
holders - use of water - Oklahoma Water Resources
Board - allocation - conservation - excessive use -
effective date ]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 82 O.S. 2021, Section 1020.19, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1020.19. Upon request of a majority of the landowners
residing within a basin or subbasin, the Board is authorized to
require that water wells be metered and that such meters as the
Board shall approve be utilized by the applicant and placed under
seal, subject to reading by the agents of the Board at any time.
The Board may also require that the applicant report the reading of
such meters at reasonable intervals
A. The Oklahoma Water Resources Board shall require all permit
holders authorized to take and use groundwater to implement a system
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of measuring groundwater usage f rom all wells associated with the
permit. The Board shall determine which measurement systems may be
utilized, which shall include, but not be limited to, pump and
irrigation monitoring telemetry devices capable of reporting usage.
Such measuring systems shall be in proper operating conditions at
all times when groundwater is being produced. Data from the
measuring system shall be utilized for the annual groundwater use
report.
B. To encourage groundwater conservation, beginning January 1,
2026, the Board shall provide a five -year flex allocation of
groundwater usage based off the previously determined allocated
annual use of the basin or subbasin. A five -year flex allocation
shall not require a new permit for existing permit holders. A five -
year flex allocation shall be available for:
1. Existing permit holders for groundwater use permits in
basins or subbasins, based upon the maximum annual yield
determination at the time of the original application;
2. New applicants for groundwater use permits in basins or
subbasins based upon the current maximum annual yield determination;
and
3. New and existing applicants and temporary permit holders for
groundwater use permits in basins or subbasins where the maximum
annual yield has yet to be determined.
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C. An applicant for a five -year flex allocation shall be
required to:
1. Submit an annual usage report of the prior year's usage from
a Board-approved water measurement system; and
2. Pay the annual groundwater permit fee.
D. A five-year flex allocation sh all allow the permit holder to
exceed the determined annual allocation in any year of the five -year
allocation; provided, that the applicant shall adhere to the
cumulative annually determined allocation of the basin or subbasin
over the five-year period. The permit holder shall not exceed the
permitted annual allocation by over two hundred percent (200%) in
any of the five (5) years.
E. Nothing in this section shall apply to domestic wells .
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective Novem ber 1, 2025.
Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate